If Tomorrow never comes
by nannygirl
Summary: Archie Bunker was one who usually took advantage of things. Espically his wife, but what happens when somthing terrible happens while he's away at a convention? Better that it soundslol
1. Chapter 1

_**If Tomorrow Never Comes**_

A cars horn went off, and Archie appeared on the porch. "I'll be right there youse guys." he called before going back inside. "Ok Edith, my bag ready yet?" he asked walking over to his wife. "Almost Archie." she told him as she continued to pack his bag.

"Geeze Edith, I'll tell ya this convention is gonna be one of the best ones yet!" he told her excitedly.

"Oh I hope ya have a good time." Edith told him as she kissed his cheek and handed him his bag.

"Well I'm off to fight the Nazis!" he exclaimed as he headed toward the door, with Edith smiling away while following him.

"Come Arch! We're gonna be late!" Hank yelled.

"Yeah kiss your wife goodbye and let's go!" Pink agreed.

"Hey there don't go trying to wreck all marriges you two, it aint my fault Edith here aint left me."

"Give it time." Hank whispered to Pinky

After hearing that comment, Archie frowned at his friends, and blew a raspberry. "Hey she aint going no where's when she knows she's got this here." he said before doing something none of them expected.

Archie quickly pulled Edith into his arms, dipping her, and giving her an unexpected kiss. The scene resembled the kiss of the sailor and the nurse, when World War two ended.

Pulling Edith back up and pulling away, Archie looked over to the vehicle full of his buddies who had all rolled their eyes and then over to Edith who had a shocked and breathless look covering her face. Archie smiled. "Alright boys I'm coming!" he called as he quickly walked off the porch while singing an old War song. After finally getting back to reality Edith waved goodbye to her solider boy.

Days later the convention was over and all the men were coming home to their families some with hangovers, some still drunk, and some still in a good mood. Archie was one who was still in a good mood, but that would soon change. Faster than Mike eating a whole sandwich.

"We'll meet again don't know where don't know when But I know we'll meet again some sunny day" Archie sang as he made his way up the stairs and took out his key.

"Arch!" Barney yelled from across the street as he jogged over to the street.

"Barney, wha are youse doing here?" Archie asked,

"Archie, you better come over to my place there's something I gotta tell you." he told him serious all in his voice.

Archie frowned, "Wha is it?"

"No I Arch I think you should come over."

"Alright alright..." he said still frowning, wondering what his friend had to tell him.

"Sit down Arch, there's something I gotta show you." Barney told him and Archie did as he was told and Barney left to get what he had to show Archie.

Only a few seconds past and Barney was back. When Barney came back in Archie looked over at him to see that he was holding a newspaper... "Hey Barney that's just a news paper. Now there's your answer to your problem. Now I'm going home..."

"Archie read this." Barney said putting the paper in front of him.

Archie looked at his friend and then over to the paper. Pulling the paper back to read, and then read out loud. "Sunshine home burns down..." Archie drifted off after reading the first line. "Barney you aint trying to tell me...Edith...was in...there..."

"I'm sorry Arch." Barney said as he placed a hand on Archie's shoulder, "I went over to your house as soon as I heard, and no one answered." "But she..." knowing what he was going to say Barney interrupted and shook his head, "I went the next day too. I'm really sorry Archie." Barney told him.

Archie snuck into the chair he was sitting on before, "Ah geeze." he said taking it all in. "I shouldn't a gone to that convention thing," he said as he put his head in his hands.

"Come on Arch don't blame yourself, you know Edith would have gone even if ya didn't go." Barney told him trying to comfort his friend, "Cause you'd be at the Bar."

Archie glared at him but then shook his head, "Nah but your right, she would go anyways. She was always running off to help some one...and running over to me when I'd come home, sobering me with kisses. And then on them days when I'd come home and she'd be singing 'Moon river.'..."Archie looked up at Barney.

"I'm really gonna miss her, Barn...I really nothing with out her." he said his blue eyes becoming misty.

Barney just stood there with his hand on Archie's shoulder not really knowing what to say. Archie got, up "I gotta go home..." he mumbled in a low voice. It really wasn't a home anymore. Gloria and Mike were gone as well as Joey and Stephanie. But Edith had always been there, to help keep 704 Hauser a home. But now it was only a house.

"Alright Arch, be careful. Don't do anything to drastic, you know Edith wouldn't want you too."

"I know." he said as he walked out f the house not really listening.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Authors note: I own nothing! Read and review please! If i get two reviews or more, i'll quickly work on the Chirstmas one i'm working on!! R&R!!_**

Archie slowly opened the door and walked in standing there missing his usual welcoming. He took off his cap and coat and dragged himself to his chair where he flopped down onto. Sitting in the silence he took this time to let out what he had be holding back since he read the headline. He began to cry.

"Oh Edith, why'd ya have to go. Why'd ya have to that sunshine home? How am I gonna go on alone? With out the kids with out...you. I know I'd always tell youse, you were going first, but I never really wanted youse to. Geeze Edith, I wish I woulda know the last time I'd seen youse would be the last time I'd see you...I didn't even get to tell you that, I love you Edith." He continued looking up his eyes still watery. "Geeze wha I'd give to see youse again. To feel you slobber on me, to her you singing to see your smile, to hear you say Archie, to tell you I love you."

"Archie?" called a voice, a familiar femine voice.

Quickly Archie turned around to see his wife standing on the stairs in her blue robe, with a tissue in her hand. He quickly walked over to her. "Edith? How did you...Edith what's heaven like? I gotta know so I can tell the meathead."

"Archie I aint in heaven."

Archie started at her, "You aint? Geeze, don't tell me the meathead was right."

Edith looked at him confused, "Archie what are you talking about?"

"You and heaven. Where you are now..."

"Archie, I aint dead." Edith said wondering how he got that idea.

"You aint?"

"I don't think so..." she began to say.

"But I saw the headline, the sunshine home..." Archie started to say, he was totally confused.

"Ooohh!" she said in that classic way, as she walked closer to Archie. "Remember last week when you came home with that cold, and youse barley got over it the other day..."

"Ah geeze is this gonna be long?" he groaned although he was secretly happy to be able to hear one of her long stories once more.

"No. You see I musta caught your cold, cause this whole time I was home resting. I didn't go to the sunshine home at all." she said as she wrapped his arms around his neck, smiling trying to reassure him it really was her.

"But Barney came over, twice and no one answered." Archie pointed out.

"Oh I musta been asleep at that time." she said feeling sorry, about that.

"Ah geeze, Edith, do you know how worried I was."

"Oh Archie you were scared you lost me?" Edith asked

"Course I was, Edith. Don't ya know by now, youse are like the cream in my coffee you're the something in my stew; you will always be my nercessity I'd be lost without you." he said telling her a lyric from one of their favorite songs. Edith smilied. "Ooh Arrchie!!" she said in that classic way and Archie just had to smile as he wrapped hi arms around her waist, while she cuddled against him.

"You know Edith, I know I don't say this enough, but I love you..."

Edith moved a bit so she could look at Archie. She placed her hand on his cheek, "I know." she said softly, "I love you too Archie." Slowly they moved into a kiss.

Once the kiss was over the embrace wasn't, they still stood there Archie's arms around her waist and her around his neck, while Edith rested her forehead against his. "So how ya feeling now?" Archie asked, having something rolled up his selves.. "Oh I'm feeling much better, why?" she asked knowing he must be up to something.

"Well I was just thinkin' how about you giving your 'solider boy' a proper welcoming home." Archie told her but of course Edith was confused. She looked at him with that classic confused expression, "What do you mean?"

"I mean…" he began to move his eyebrows along with his eyes upstairs, until she understood.

"Oooohhhh!" she in that classic way, "Oh Arrchie." she said smiling and he smiled back.

Archie laughed before sweeping her off her feet and into his arms, she gave a surprised, cry as he did so. The two laughed, and then Archie began to walk but groaned as he did. Taking only two steps more Archie out her back on her feet, "Ok ya can make it the rest of the way." He said and she nodded before the two left hand in hand up stairs.

The End


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